Rising to fame in the twenties and early thirties, Ruth Etting was renowned for her great beauty, her gorgeous voice and her tragic life. She starred on Broadway, made movies in Hollywood, married a mobster, had numerous hit-records, fell in love and was known as America’s Sweetheart of Song.
This site is maintained by Cheryl Spelts, the granddaughter of one of Ruth Etting’s cousins. The submission of additional information and documentation on her life and career is encouraged and greatly appreciated!
News
Get the latest scoop on new Ruth Etting albums, pending movies about her life, videos and photos from her heyday, and anything else new and exciting that comes along!
- New Castle News / Wednesday, March 20, 1929
- Lawrence Journal-World | Ruth Etting And Myrl Alderman Are Wed As Trial Of Her Ex-husband for Shooting Goes On
- New York Times Crossword Puzzle
- Clara Bow and Ruth Etting, on the same marquee?
- Love a mystery...
- More News...
Songs
Ruth Etting had over 60 hit recordings and recorded hundreds of other songs. Among her best in the Jazz Age are Button Up Your Overcoat and Mean to Me, and in the depression, Ten Cents A Dance. Her versions of Shine On Harvest Moon, Let Me Call You Sweetheart and You Made Me Love You became her signature songs.
Broadway
Irving Berlin suggested Ruth Etting for the Ziegfeld Follies and she was hired after Ziegfeld checked her ankles, not her voice. She appeared in the Follies of 1927. In 1929 she starred with Eddie Cantor in Whoopee! In 1930 she made 135 appearances in Simple Simon with Ed Wynn. In 1931 she appeared in the very last Follies, shortly before Ziegfeld’s death.
Movies
Ruth Etting made a string of movie shorts and three full-length features. Her big break came in Roman Scandals with Eddie Cantor and Lucille Ball in a bit part. Then came Gift of Gab and Hips Hips Hooray.
Photo Album
Our Ruth Etting photo album has over 50 images, including publicity photos, movie and theatre posters, sheet music, and magazine features.
History
Ruth Etting made her first record in 1926 and her last in 1937. She starred on Broadway, made movies in Hollywood, married a mobster, had number-one-hit-records, fell in love and was known as America’s Sweetheart of Song. Get the facts on her life!
Music
Ruth Etting’s music is available on CD! There are currently eight full-length CDs available, plus several compilations that contain at least one of her songs. Real Audio files allow you to listen to her music right now!
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New Castle News / Wednesday, March 20, 1929
Penn Screen Metropolitan Presentations EDDIE CANTOR In That Party In Person And It’s Some Party RUTH ETTING In Blue Songs New Castle News / Wednesday, March 20, 1929
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Lawrence Journal-World | Ruth Etting And Myrl Alderman Are Wed As Trial Of Her Ex-husband for Shooting Goes On
Ruth Etting And Myrl Alderman Are Wed As Trial Of Her Ex-husband for Shooting Goes On Los Angeles, Dec. 14. (AP) – The trial of Martin (Col. Gimp) Snyder proceeded today while the two principal witnesses against him took time … Continue reading
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New York Times Crossword Puzzle
Yet another fun little mention… This time in the New York Times crossword puzzle, from March 13, 2013. Across 15. Doris Day film with the song “Ten Cents a Dance” : LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME Ruth Etting wasn’t mentioned … Continue reading
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Clara Bow and Ruth Etting, on the same marquee?
Clara Bow and Ruth Etting, on the same marquee? It appears that Hollywood’s “It Girl” and “America’s Sweetheart of Song” made for an interesting evening at the landmark Chicago Theatre, back in March of 1928. Ruth, fresh off a run … Continue reading
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Love a mystery…
If you read the previous posts, it will become clear that I love a good mystery… When it comes to old photos that is! And it’s a good thing, because with vintage photos, all too often no one at the … Continue reading
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Ruth Etting as a Brinkley Girl!
Isn’t this drawing fun?! It’s by a very famous illustrator, Nell Brinkley, and shows the cast of the 1931 Ziegfeld Follies, including Ruth Etting. Ruth is dressed as a cigarette girl – one of her songs in that show was … Continue reading
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VIDEO | ‘Deed I Do, 1926
This video/slideshow has been on YouTube since 2009, but it’s new to me – and it has a LOT of really great images of Ruth Etting. There’s even a shot of Ruth I’ve never seen before, in a hat with … Continue reading
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Ruth Etting’s “Ten Cents a Dance,” a 2011 inductee to National Recording Registry
Ruth Etting rarely makes the news these days. In fact, it’s safe to say she hasn’t made the news on a regular basis since about 1955, when the movie of her life, Love Me or Leave Me, starring Doris Day … Continue reading
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Punk Rock Cover of a Ruth Etting Song by NOFX
In 1996 NOFX released a punk rock cover of a Ruth Etting song on their album, 45 or 46 Songs That Weren’t Good Enough to Go on Our Other Records and it’s kind of fun. It’s not a bit like … Continue reading
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AUDIO | Cigarettes, Cigars
Here’s a great audio clip of Ruth Etting singing Cigarettes, Cigars. The song features lyrics by Mack Gordon and music by Harry Revel, and Ruth first sang it in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1931. Click here for the lyrics!
